First, I've heard from several people that Lyme Disease can affect the 8th cranial nerve, which if i'm not mistaken, is the vestibular nerve that controls balance in the inner ear.
Is that true?
If so, does the bacteria damage the nerve? or simply cause it to malfunction?
Can it cause things like vestibular neuritis? (damage and/or inflamation of the inner ear nerve).
I ask this because I've had VN 4 years ago, took 2 years to go away, and still get bouts of it every 6 months (more or less).
Also, if it affects that nerve, does that mean LD has taken up residence in your nervous system?
Is that one of the hardest places to get LD out of (the CNS and/or nerves)?
Second, i've noticed that sometimes when i get angry, upset, nervous, etc., and my heart starts racing,
that i get a feeling of weakness in the left side of my body. I think it may have something to do with adrenal fatigue?
I say that because of the leaky gut and food allergies I have, maybe its taxing my body..
could that be lyme related?
thanks again for all the help. Scott
-------------------- IgM were 31kDa +, 39kDa IND, 41kDa +++, 58kDa +, 66kDa ++ and 83-93kDa ++..
IgG were 31kDa ++, 39kDa IND, 41kDa +++, 58kDa ++. Posts: 30 | From California | Registered: Jul 2009
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Dr.J. OF S.C. 'The sore throat that is not a sore throat' - What is Carotidynia? Frequently our patients describe sore throats as part of their recurring symptom complex. Often, when specifically asked, the patients note that ear pain accompanies the throat pain, but the patients often state that their primary physician can find no reason for their discomfort. In fact, on examination, there is no sign of inflammation of the throat or ear.
The condition 'carotidynia' is little known but is, in fact, common. On careful examination, one can easily detect swelling and pain at the carotid bulb, which is located just lateral to the top of the thyroid cartilage (Adam's Apple) and is the location at which the internal and external carotid arteries separate, or bifurcate.
Our theory is that this is yet another sign of inflammatory neurological disease associated with LBC, since the carotid bulb is known to be a baroreceptor, which means it plays a prominent role in monitoring blood pressure.
As such, it is loaded with nerve fibers, some of which mediate pain. Since the fibers at the bulb lie in proximity to the throat and may radiate to the ear area, our patients complain of 'sore throat and earache', when in fact the throat and ear pain arise from an inflamed carotid bulb.
The mediation of this pain is most likely from the Nerve of Hering, a branch of the 9th cranial nerve (glossopharyngeal nerve), and/or a branch of the superior cervical sympathetic chain.
[ 07-19-2009, 01:08 AM: Message edited by: Al ]
Posts: 789 | From CT, | Registered: Jun 2006
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
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Lyme disease is essentially a disease of the nervous system--both the central nervous system (the brain) and the peripheral nerves. Here is a quote from the Burrascano guidelines:
"It is clear that in the great majority of patients, chronic Lyme is a disease affecting predominantly the nervous system." (p. 4)
Lyme can affect any nerve in the body. The attack on a nerve can come and go.
Nobody can tell you whether an attack will cause permanent damage.
I had undiagnosed lyme disease for about 10 years. It gave me facial drooping (a mild bilateral bells palsy) for 3 1/2 years, which spontaneously resolved itself one day.
That is an example of how long it can attack and still not cause permanent damage. The same with the brain. It can cause permanent brain damage.
One friend of mine asked her lyme doc if her brain damage was reversible. The doc said that if she still had periods of clarity, the damage was reversible. The woman had had lyme disease for years and years misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia.
She had not had a period of clear thinking for at least 3 months. She had had to quit her professional job and take a job as a bank teller. Because of memory problems, she made a mistake that almost cost her the teller job. The lyme doc got her 3 months leave of absence. Under the doc's treatment, the woman got completely well. Her brain returned to normal.
I also got rid of every lyme symptom I had and I have been symptom free for 4 years now, enjoying my life--the same life I had before lyme disease.
I had lyme attack my optic nerve, my auditory nerve, give me attacks of trigeminal neuraligia, give me months of continuous burning pain (unbearable) in my jaw and other dental pain, etc. It gave me swallowing problems (choked on my own saliva) and many other nerve-related problems.
For 5 years I had periods of extreme muscle weakness. Then, it became continuous extreme muscle weakness for 5 more years. This is all neurological. It is not a muscular problem.
All gone. So, although we fear permanent nerve damage, I have not seen it in myself or my numerous friends and acquaintances that have been treated for lyme. I have seen all the symptoms disappear! Even those that people have had for years.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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Thanks for the reply. So I'm guessing that the vestibular nerve can and is affected. So does lyme have a affinity for the nervous system? Are there certain antibiotics that work better at getting at CNS lyme?
Can Lyle affect adrenal glands as well?
Thx again Scott
-------------------- IgM were 31kDa +, 39kDa IND, 41kDa +++, 58kDa +, 66kDa ++ and 83-93kDa ++..
IgG were 31kDa ++, 39kDa IND, 41kDa +++, 58kDa ++. Posts: 30 | From California | Registered: Jul 2009
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TF, you are my hero tonight. Hearing you went through (among other things) five Years of weakness and made it through, well, it just gives us all hope. God bless you, and thanks for sticking around to keep encouraging the rest of us.
Think I'll follow in your footsteps when (when!) I am well. Posts: 374 | From United States | Registered: Nov 2008
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